and scared.
Atara nodded. “She did, in her own way, I know it.”
Pux stared at the Grand Hall, tracing the outline of the fountain. “Aye, whispers in the wind. She used to speak to everything so quietly when we were children.” His eyes met Atara’s. She looked just as distraught as he did, and guilty. He didn’t know why she felt guilty, though.
“You’re still young, and naïve. I’m sorry we couldn’t prepare you for what was—is–out there.” Atara leaned her head against the stone. He didn’t want to interrupt her while she thought of the Valtanyana so he turned back to his hands on the balcony and tried to let the heaviness in his heart subside. After moments in silence, Atara moved to the corridor.
Pux turned around and leaned against the balcony, crossing his arms. “She was so strong. Scared and strong and determined. She knew everything about who she was and what her parable meant.” Pux rambled more to himself than to Atara; it felt less awkward to say it out loud. He had to say something to comfort himself. He had to believe good would come from something so bad. Everyone was still alive; the enemies were gone, but it didn’t seem good enough. Losing Kaliel made the victory incomplete.
Atara smiled. “She would have been the youngest apprentice to solve it.”
Pux frowned. “Can you tell me something?” He didn’t know where to begin. Atara said nothing. “I thought I saw her eyes change color. She said she was a Flame, but I’ve never heard of them before.”
Atara hung her head. “The Flames are what the Valtanyana want. They are unlike any other being Across the Stars. Each one is created differently. Kaliel was the Amethyst Flame, one of the most important, from what lore has to say about her.”
Pux’s eyes widened. “You mean there are volumes about her?” He never ventured into the library in Orlondir. He never had a reason to read, but if there were books about her, he would read every day for the rest of his life.
Atara shook her head. “Their lore is kept in the Great Library with Kemplan. Even I was not aware she was a Flame. Not until it was too late.”
Pux’s heart dropped. All memory of her was being erased and there was nothing he could do to hang onto the pieces of her that lingered. One day she would be distant in his mind. He feared what life would be like years from now when he was an Elder, and she was still dead.
“I think I’ll go to the orchards,” Pux said. He drifted down the corridor towards the courtyard and Atara didn’t follow him.
“Seek Grimand. He will be leaving for Evennses soon.”
Pux gritted his teeth and turned to face Atara. “I don’t need him to return to Evennses.”
She sighed. “You cannot walk alone, it will take you days.”
His emotions unwound as he became angrier and sadder at the same time. “Kaliel would understand. How can I return to the forest when every tree reminds me of her? When we lived in the same house, ate the same food, played in the same trees? Knowing she was alive and well in Orlondir was all that made it bearable. Even the Great Oak thinks I’m invalid. How do you expect me to return without her?”
Atara hunched her shoulders. “Be patient.”
Pux stared at her with disbelief. For all of his new found knowledge she still treated him as though he was completely unworthy. His mouth dropped open, but he had no words to say. He clenched his fist tight and thought about the orchard. “If all I am to you is useless, I’m better off invisible.” He turned and vanished.
• • •
The cold wind made the fur on the back of Pux’s neck stand on end as he crossed the bridge and turned to the path on the right. It led into the rows and rows of apple trees creating the orchard. He noticed the leaves on the trees were frostbitten from the cold, and the remaining apples were covered in a layer of frost. He ran his hand along the skinny trunk of one of the trees and tucked his frozen hand under his
Atara nodded. “She did, in her own way, I know it.”
Pux stared at the Grand Hall, tracing the outline of the fountain. “Aye, whispers in the wind. She used to speak to everything so quietly when we were children.” His eyes met Atara’s. She looked just as distraught as he did, and guilty. He didn’t know why she felt guilty, though.
“You’re still young, and naïve. I’m sorry we couldn’t prepare you for what was—is–out there.” Atara leaned her head against the stone. He didn’t want to interrupt her while she thought of the Valtanyana so he turned back to his hands on the balcony and tried to let the heaviness in his heart subside. After moments in silence, Atara moved to the corridor.
Pux turned around and leaned against the balcony, crossing his arms. “She was so strong. Scared and strong and determined. She knew everything about who she was and what her parable meant.” Pux rambled more to himself than to Atara; it felt less awkward to say it out loud. He had to say something to comfort himself. He had to believe good would come from something so bad. Everyone was still alive; the enemies were gone, but it didn’t seem good enough. Losing Kaliel made the victory incomplete.
Atara smiled. “She would have been the youngest apprentice to solve it.”
Pux frowned. “Can you tell me something?” He didn’t know where to begin. Atara said nothing. “I thought I saw her eyes change color. She said she was a Flame, but I’ve never heard of them before.”
Atara hung her head. “The Flames are what the Valtanyana want. They are unlike any other being Across the Stars. Each one is created differently. Kaliel was the Amethyst Flame, one of the most important, from what lore has to say about her.”
Pux’s eyes widened. “You mean there are volumes about her?” He never ventured into the library in Orlondir. He never had a reason to read, but if there were books about her, he would read every day for the rest of his life.
Atara shook her head. “Their lore is kept in the Great Library with Kemplan. Even I was not aware she was a Flame. Not until it was too late.”
Pux’s heart dropped. All memory of her was being erased and there was nothing he could do to hang onto the pieces of her that lingered. One day she would be distant in his mind. He feared what life would be like years from now when he was an Elder, and she was still dead.
“I think I’ll go to the orchards,” Pux said. He drifted down the corridor towards the courtyard and Atara didn’t follow him.
“Seek Grimand. He will be leaving for Evennses soon.”
Pux gritted his teeth and turned to face Atara. “I don’t need him to return to Evennses.”
She sighed. “You cannot walk alone, it will take you days.”
His emotions unwound as he became angrier and sadder at the same time. “Kaliel would understand. How can I return to the forest when every tree reminds me of her? When we lived in the same house, ate the same food, played in the same trees? Knowing she was alive and well in Orlondir was all that made it bearable. Even the Great Oak thinks I’m invalid. How do you expect me to return without her?”
Atara hunched her shoulders. “Be patient.”
Pux stared at her with disbelief. For all of his new found knowledge she still treated him as though he was completely unworthy. His mouth dropped open, but he had no words to say. He clenched his fist tight and thought about the orchard. “If all I am to you is useless, I’m better off invisible.” He turned and vanished.
• • •
The cold wind made the fur on the back of Pux’s neck stand on end as he crossed the bridge and turned to the path on the right. It led into the rows and rows of apple trees creating the orchard. He noticed the leaves on the trees were frostbitten from the cold, and the remaining apples were covered in a layer of frost. He ran his hand along the skinny trunk of one of the trees and tucked his frozen hand under his
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